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May 27, 2019, 12.47PM, a lovely warm late spring day Emerald City, Oregon, waterfront, annual MarsTech Science Fair "Wow, Meridian! Amazing! If you hadn't stopped those robot ninjas, my MarsTech Olympus-class air-scrubber would be in the hands of evil! Our ozone and oxygen are safe yet again!" Max Mars, standing beaming like a happy child while surrounded by smashed bits of cyclopic glossy-black robots dressed like ancient stage hands, seemed for once even smaller than his five feet next to the towering heroine. His curly red hair, peppered with grey, had caught plenty of the debris from the magnificently-staged mock-combat, and his lovely deep-blue suit and bearded face had caught a full blast of smoke from an all-too real electrical fire, but the grin on his face wasn't damaged or dimmed in the least. The West Coast's favorite source of super-science had been urging for something like this ever since meeting Sophie Powers, and evidently it had lived up to all his dreams at once. The rest of the dock had been cleared and meticulously calculated to allow for the fight to happen without causing any real harm, while the stands stood close enough to the action to let the Emerald City munchkins feel the vicarious thrills. The platform Max and Meridian stood on was two-level, letting the real point of the show make an imposing backdrop-a monolithic black wall marked out with the red planet logo of MarsTech-keep up a presence. The Olympus was some kind of greenhouse gas-condenser, and had been busily proving its worth since its unveiling. By processes Max had been very happy to explain, but which relatively few people understood, it had been drawing carbon and other heat-trapping airborne substances from the air and converting them into other, less harmful solid forms. To hear Max talk, one could be forgiven for thinking the entire ecological crisis was solved for all time. Emerald's favorite son swept a hand to the crowd "A big hand, everybody, for Meridian, today's greatest hero!" The request wasn't necessary, since Emerald citizens weren't yet jaded enough to not be amazed by the sight of people punching robots in front of them, but it did get a standing ovation going! The only less-than-enthralled response was from the Emerald City South Girl Scouts box, in which several hundred uniformed girls busily scribbled notes onto tablets or inspected fragments of metal that blown their way, the wall of uniformed older women around them clapping politely but with veryobvious skepticism. By tradition, the Emerald City North Girl Scouts box was as far from the South's as reasonably possible, and was resolutely and coolly silent. The flying news-drones swept closer, circling to capture the moment, their human counterparts chatting with the MarsTech company reps and snapping photos. Except for the skinny, greasy woman in the grey 50's suit and 'PRESS'-carded trilby who'd been politely put behind the security line after trying to reach the stage and ask questions. She just scribbled and glared from time to time.

OOC thread for this, featuring @NineOfSpades's Meridian and @RocketLord's Justice! Time to fight a robot!

Meridian Power Level: 10 (150/151) Unspent Power Points: 1 Trade-Offs: -5 Attack, +5 Damage, -5 Defense, +5 Toughness In Brief: Paragon with literal Popularity Power Catchphrase: Theme: Dragonrider by Two Steps From Hell Alternate Identity: Sophia Powers (Public) Birthplace: Freedom City Residence: Emerald City Occupation: Public Figure/Superhero Affiliations: P3 Hero Management Solutions, LLC Family: None Description: Age: 25 (DoB: July 4th, 1993) Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 6'4" Weight: 215 lbs Eyes: Glowing Silver Hair: Blond Image credited to SoDrawnOut History: Sophia knew she was born to be a hero, even before she fully understood what that meant. As a child born in the aftermath of the second Terminus Invasion, Sophia had been altered by the alien energy that leaked into the world. As she was only a child at the time, her memories of her life as part of the 'protective custody' and experimentation performed on T-Babies is sketchy at best, though she knew she was different. In her case, at least at the time, the differences were only cosmetic. She was big for her age, and had eyes that glowed with their own luminescence, but that was it. Rather uninteresting compared to other kids who could levitate objects with their mind or command elemental forces. Her drive to heroism was inspired by the Centurion, the greatest hero of all time. Entertainment options were limited, but positive messages about using super-powers were actively encouraged, so she had no shortage of exposure to the Freedom league and their exploits, which left her with the clear impression as to who she wanted to be. However, it also left her with the aftermath of his death and its effect on public consciousness, that the Terminus was fundamentally bad and anyone tainted by it was likewise something to be shunned. That distinction would follow her for the rest of her life as she strove to follow after her idol while unable to escape the perceived flaw of her birth. Lacking any outwardly dangerous abilities, Sophia was released following the legal action against the imprisonment of T.E.M.S afflicted children. However, she had no parents waiting for her, as her biological family could not be located. Instead, she was placed into a suitable foster care, along with other children who had no families to return to. This later allowed her the opportunity to enroll in Claremont Academy, a school that specialized in the education of prospective hero's. Sophia was a lackluster student, eager to do well but not particularly talented, and so stayed relatively under the radar. Even so, it at least gave her the basic combat training to see her through a battle, and further entrenched her desire to don a costume of her own. After Graduating, Sophia moved west, to Emerald City, wanting a chance to make a name for herself as a superhero, and feeling that Freedom was just to crowded for her tastes. Initially taking the name Go-Girl, she had a struggle in her early career as a vigilante, only succeeding at thwarting acts of vandalism. It was disheartening, to say the least, but she stayed at it, believing that she needed to do what she could. Her break came when she assisted the Emerald City Fire Department in evacuating and containing a fire at city hall. Her bravery, and the assistance she lead, earned her a public commendation from the Mayors office, which was broadcast nationally. After that, Sophia found herself changed. In the weeks that passed, she grew stronger, faster. She'd always been a tough-cookie, but she'd never managed to lift a car with her bare hands before, and that was only the beginning. Sophia was at a loss to explain the transformation, other than to assume she was just a late bloomer whose powers had remained dormant until placed in a life or death scenario, and only now were awakening. With her newfound powers, she was able to stop more than just petty criminals, but actually thwart felons who endangered the public. And with each new success, she found her spirits lifted even further along with new abilities. Sophia has been a full time hero for 5 years now, and in that time, she's risen to prominence in Emerald city. As easily one of the most proative and outgoing hero's, she's become the chief client of P3 Hero Management Solutions, LLC, a marketing and PR firm specializing in superhuman's. As per their recommendation, she dropped the moniker Go-Girl and now goes by Meridian, which in addition to being a better symbol, was also open for trademark. Sophia spends her days on active patrol, when she's not visiting local schools, or meeting up with talk show hosts to discuss her exploits. And she's never been happier. Personality & Motivation: Outgoing, Charismatic, Charming and Social, Sophia is a dynamo in person that can be tough to keep up with at the best of times. She lives her life full of energy, always eager to go out and be proactive. Still a young hero, she's got a very positive worldview that is a tad overly simplistic, but positive. People are good, and she wants to help where she can. That being said, she's also more than a bit of a showoff, and likes to keep herself in the spotlight, so her antics can make her seem immature at times, or at least irresponsible. Sophia cannot recall a time in her life when she didn't want to be a superhero, even before her powers developed to the point where they could be used to elevate her into an actual meta-human powerhouse. While he may have died before she was born, Sophia was enraptured by Centurions legacy and strove to emulate the fallen champion as much as she could. You may not agree with her way of doing things, but its clear to anyone with eyes that Sophia loves every second of being a superhero, and that kind of genuine positivity is infectious. Powers & Tactics: Sophia is not a very tactical fighter, relying entirely on her superior strength and near-indestructibility to ensure victory. She opens up her battles with some manner of grand proclamation, and then wades into the thick of things, putting a greater focus on showing off than directly fighting. Seldom in any personal danager, she'll get civilians to safety or take risky plays without hesitation, and always has a quip or triumphant remark to fit in between punches. Power Descriptions: Sophia's exposure to terminus energies in-utero altered her biology and genetics at a fundamental level, making her something akin to a living nexus between the physical world and the astral plane. She draws her strength from the cumulative psychic energy of conscious minds, which vastly empowers her beyond mere human capabilities. Simply put, she is something of an unwitting psychic vampire, drawing on psionic energy through the astral plane. The normal 'background' levels of energy have made her stronger and tougher than most, it is to insubstantial for her needs. This flow of energy is transient and insignificant compared to the more active and directed energy at her disposal, as a result of emotions produced in relation to her, specifically. As a siphon of psychic energy that flows through the astral plane, Sophia most readily pulls from the positive emotions she inspires in others, and similarly derives the greatest increase in strength from those feelings. Love, Joy, Hope, Gratitude, Respect, and most of all: Adoration. It is a literal statement to say that her fans are her strength, as she slightly drains all of them to a tiny degree. Those who supply her with her energies suffer no lasting effects, and are unlikely to even notice any negative effects, so long as her power supply is spread out over large numbers of individuals. Sophia isn't aware of this, and only acknowledges that her power has generally increased over time, attributing this to her own growth and maturation rather than to her increasing presence in the cultural mindset and corresponding greater access to mental energies. Complications: Slave to PR: All of Sophia's incredible powers are drawn from the love and support of the people who she inspires. When she remains in good standing with the public, she's at her strongest. But if her popularity begins to wane, so to do her powers. As a secondary limitation, she's mostly tethered to population centers where she has a strong presence in the popular consciousness. Moving far from her supporters does slowly drain her energy, leaving her progressively weaker until she returns. Fame: Sophia actively cultivates a place of high public status, and as such is hounded by the media, her fans, or just tabloid journalists, which can be both exhausting and disruptive to any efforts to have a private life. No Secret Identity: Not only is Sophia's name and face widely known, she maintains a dedicated website with a calendar of scheduled appearances. Responsibilities: Charity Work, Talk Show Appearances, Movie Cameos, Sponsorship Deals, Commercial Filming. Sophia isn't just a hero, she is a brand, and that means she has a lot of obligations to uphold, keeping her busy. Unwitting Pawn: Sophia's prominence in Emerald is at least in part due to the Chamber using her as a means to maintain their operations. She is fairly easy to trick so long as their manipulations are kept through publicly trusted figures, and acting in a manner which can be cast as heroic. When a more direct intervention is needed, they use their psychic manipulations to compel her obedience and then erase or alter her memory of events. More than once, Sophia has been an enforcer of their dark schemes, but remains none the wiser. Hatred: Stemming from her childhood where she was made to feel weak and inferior compared to other children, and then magnified by her idolization of Centurion, Sophia has come to develop a deep and festering anger towards the Terminus and anything associated with it, as a coping mechanism for her own psychological hangups. Secret (T-Baby): Sophia is a byproduct of the second Terminus Invasion, which remains a matter of contention. Due to her own complex feelings about the Terminus, she's covered up and tried to deny that she's a T-Baby, keeping it as secret as possible. Abilities: 10 + 2 + 10 + 0 + 0 + 10 = 32PP Strength: 40 [20] (+15/+5)[Ultimate Ability] Dexterity: 12 (+1) Constitution: 40 [20] (+15/+5) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 10 (+0) Charisma: 20 (+5) Combat: 10 + 10 = 20PP Initiative: +1 Attack: +5 Base Defense: +5 Base, +2 Flat-Footed Grapple: +28 to +21 (Super-Strength, Improved Grab) Knockback: -12/-2 (-27 with Bracing) Saves: 0 + 4 + 5 = 9PP Toughness: +15/+5 (+5 Con, +10 Enhanced Con) [10 Impervious, Ultimate Save] Fortitude: +15/+5 (+5 Con, +10 Enhanced Con) Reflex: +5 (+1 Dex, +4) Will: +5 (+0 Wis, +5) Skills: 36R = 9PP Diplomacy 4 (+9)Attractive 2, Connected Bluff 2 (+7) Attractive 2 Intimidate 2 (+7) Knowledge (Current Events) 2 (+2) Knowledge (Pop Culture) 2 (+2) Notice 8 (+8) Perform (Oratory) 10 (+15) Fascinate Sense Motive 6 (+6) Feats: 14PP Attractive 2 Benefit 4 (Wealth 2, Fame 2) Connected Fascinate (Oratory) Improved Grab Interpose Luck 2 Ultimate Strength Ultimate Toughness Powers: 20 + 21+ 6 + 19 = 66PP Descriptors: Psionic, Dimensional, Terminus Enhanced Constitution 20 (to Constitution 40 [+15]) [20PP] Astral Power Array 10 (20PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 1) [21PP] BASE: Enhanced Strength 20 (to Strength 40 [+15]) {20/20} AP: Blast 13 (Flaws: Distracting [-1]; Feats: Accurate 3, Precise, Improved Range (325'), Affects Insubstantial 2) {20/20} Super-Strength 1 (Effective Strength 45, Heavy Load: 6 Tons, +1 Strength to some strength checks; Feats: Bracing, Countering Punch, Super-Breath, Shock wave) [6] Champion Array 7 (14PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 2, Dynamic 2) [19PP] DBE: Impervious Toughness 10 {1-10} DAP: Super-Strength 0-7 (Effective Strength 45-80, Heavy Load: 6 - 800 Tons, +1-7 to some strength checks) {2-12} DAP: Flight 0-7 (0-1000 MPH/0'-10,000' per move action) {2-12} Drawbacks: -0PP DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed w/no Powers Touch (+5) DC 20 Toughness Damage [Physical] Unarmed Touch (+5) DC 30 Toughness Damage [Physical] Blast Ranged (+7) DC 27 Toughness Damage [Energy] Super-Breath Cone DC 25 Reflex Tripped Shock Wave Cone DC 25 Reflex/30 Damage [Physical] Totals: Abilities (32) + Combat (20) + Saving Throws (9) + Skills (9) + Feats (14) + Powers (66) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/151 Power Points